New data released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows that surgical wait times have improved in Manitoba since the start of the pandemic, and for some procedures, they have exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

"It is encouraging to see that lessons learned from the earlier pandemic have led to improved wait times for cataract surgeries and MRI scans.

Tracy Johnson, Director of Health Systems Analysis at CIHI, said the numbers do not tell the whole story. "There are people behind these numbers, and we do not know how delayed procedures have affected the overall health of patients in Canada.

"The data, published by CIHI on Tuesday, shows that most Manitoba residents during the pandemic received care for urgent procedures, such as radiation therapy and hip fracture repairs, within the recommended time frames for receiving these treatments.

For example, according to statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, 38 percent of patients received knee replacements within the recommended 26-week time frame, while this number was 46 percent in the pre-pandemic period.